Book of Common Prayer finds new online audience seeking comfort during Covid crisis

Churchgoers tuning in to traditional services online since the virus crisis began - Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe
Churchgoers tuning in to traditional services online since the virus crisis began - Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe

The Book of Common Prayer has found a new audience among young people thanks to online services, with clergy saying congregants are looking for "traditional comfort" in times of uncertainty.

Many churches use the Common Worship service book, published in 2000, as services using the traditional liturgy – modified in 1662 – have been seen as less accessible.

But that has changed during lockdown, with hundreds of churchgoers tuning in to traditional services online. One church in London saw a five-fold increase in the number of congregants opting for a Book of Common Prayer service.

Bradley Smith, the chairman of the Prayer Book Society, said: "The Book of Common Prayer is really making a comeback among young people longing for a taste of something traditional, eternal, and that brings comfort and hope amidst this complete mess that we've lived through.

"The BCP speaks with fresh clarity and authority in these uncertain times, and many people – some new or returning to faith – are finding real peace and comfort in its time-honoured rhythms."

The increasing interest in traditional services comes after a Church document, leaked earlier this month, suggested the Covid pandemic has provided an opportunity for "radical change" and could result in the loss of the parish church model.

Following the resurgence of interest in the Book of Common Prayer, Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, who was Bishop of Rochester from 1994 until 2009, said: "The Book of Common Prayer is deeply rooted in the Bible and Church tradition. It touches deeply our hearts and minds. While we need to be aware of the culture around us, we should not jettison the family silver for the passing fads of popular speech or music."

The Book of Common Prayer is a permanent and traditional feature of the Church of England's worship and a key source for its doctrine.

It is renowned for its use of language, and phrases from the Prayer Book have been quoted in many works of literature, as well as passing into everyday use – "till death us do part", "read, mark, learn and inwardly digest" and "peace in our time" all come from it.

After the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible, it is the most frequently cited book in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations and is one of the guiding influences on our language.

One church whose traditional services were often attended by as few as five people reported online attendance in the hundreds during the pandemic.

Badminton Benefice, a group of 10 rural churches in the Diocese of Gloucester, began offering online services in the first lockdown. It has since had more than 8,500 views for services which attempt to draw together liturgical and musical traditions.

Historic parishes such as the Temple Church in London are also nurturing a large online community while using the Book of Common Prayer.

Revd Robin Griffith-Jones, the Master of the Temple, said there was "a huge appetite" for "all the old familiar words and favourite hymns" alongside a "carefully created and angled" service based on the book. Temple Church used the Prayer Book for themed services during Black History Month.

"We are now reaching more people virtually than ever before in person, and on both sides of the Atlantic," he said. "For some services, the number of congregants has increased five-fold. We hope this will endure for everyone's benefit after the pandemic has subsided and we resume normal public worship."